Method and system for automatic transmission of status information

ABSTRACT

A method for automatic transmission of status information from a first communications terminal set up for speech communication to a second communications terminal set up for text communication is provided. The speech communication between communications terminals is processed over a speech communications server and the text communication between communications terminals over a text communications server. The speech communications server and the text communications server exchange messages over at least one converter device. The status information will be transmitted from the first communications terminal over the speech communications server, the converter device, and the text communications server to the second communications terminal.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/204,851, which was filed on Aug. 8, 2011 andclaims priority to European Patent Office Application No. EP 10 014794.1, filed on Nov. 19, 2010, and European Patent Office ApplicationNo. 10 008 900.2, filed on Aug. 26, 2010. Both of those European PatentOffice applications are incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

Embodiments relate to a method and an arrangement for automatictransmission of status information from at least one firstcommunications terminal set up for speech communication, to at least onesecond communications terminal set up for text communication.

Background of the Related Art

There are a number of terminal sets that include at least one firstcommunications terminal set up for speech communication and a secondcommunications terminal set up for text communication. Examples of suchcommunications terminals set up for speech communications are telephoneterminals, commonly known as telephones, for example, fixed networktelephones, mobile telephones or other communications terminals set upfor speech communications. In addition to these communications terminalsset up for speech communications, other communications terminals havelong been known which are set up primarily or exclusively for textcommunications, such as for example, communications terminals for thereception and/or for sending of messages in text form, such as forexample, e-mails, SMS, or other communications in text form.

Communications terminals of this kind are frequently connected by acommunications infrastructure, which normally includes also acommunications server which enables the transmittal or a transport ofmessages or other information between the terminals involved.

Communications terminals set up for speech communications are usuallyconnected together by one or several speech communications servers whosetechnical design depends on the communications technology used. Forexample, telephone terminals in classical telephone networks areinterconnected by means of call processing systems or even by ahierarchy of call processing systems, which can each comprise privateand/or public call processing systems, depending on their complexity orcoverage.

With the increasing expansion of data networks, such as the internet forexample, which is being used increasingly for speech communicationsalso, in addition to classical speech communications servers, i.e.conventional call processing systems, other types of speechcommunications servers are being used which transport or transmit speechmessages in digitized format in a manner similar to other data appearingin data networks which are not generated by digitizing of speechmessages. Examples of such speech communications servers are virtuallyall types of network elements commonly used in data networks for datatransport, because it fundamentally makes no difference for thetransmission of digital data whether or not these data have been createdby digitizing of speech signals.

Due to the increasing standardization of communications networksassociated with the integration of speech communications networks andtext communications networks into general data communications networks,the distinction between speech communication, text communication andother forms of communication, such as picture or video datacommunication for example, is increasingly becoming less a question ofhardware architecture and more a question of the software products beingrun on increasingly more standardized hardware architectures used fordata communication for the communications protocols that are appropriateto the nature and origin of the particular data being transported and torequirements associated therewith. For example, in the transmission ofspeech data in data networks, a greater demand is placed on thetransmission speed of the data than in text communications networks inwhich it is often less important whether an email or an SMS requiresone-tenth or one-half second for its transmission.

The differentiation between communications terminals for speechcommunications and for text communications is thus increasingly becominga question of the usage of certain services or protocols than a questionof the equipment used and hardware architectures. For example, apersonal computer, a device known as a Smart-Phone or a Notebook todaycan easily integrate the functions of a telephone terminal and an emailclient in one device. The network elements used to create networkfunctions thus regularly and simultaneously perform the functions ofspeech communications servers and text communications servers, or evenmore generally of data communications servers, wherein the differencesin the various type of communications are less a question of hardwareand more a question of the communications protocols used.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In several forms of text communication, often referred to as InstantMessaging, it is desirable that the user of these forms of communicationbe informed about the availability of a speech communications channel toother users with whom they wish to be connected at that moment oroccasionally. Thus in the course of a text-based communication, therequest may arise to be able to call a communications partner over aspeech communications service, in particular over a telephone. In suchcases it is desirable to be informed about the availability oraccessibility of the user over one such speech communications service orto be informed—especially to know—whether a telephone terminal of aparticular user is presently busy or free.

Embodiments of the invention may enable or at least simplify thefunctional integration of different communications channels, inparticular of speech communications channels and text communicationschannels.

According to embodiments of the invention, a method for automatictransmission of status information from at least one firstcommunications terminal set up for voice communication, to at least onesecond communications terminal set up for text communication, isdescribed in which the speech communication between communicationsterminals is processed over at least one speech communications serverand the text communication between communications terminals is processedover at least one text communications server. In this method, the atleast one speech communications server and the at least one textcommunications server exchange messages over at least one converterdevice, and the status information from the at least one firstcommunications terminal is transmitted over the at least one speechcommunications server, the at least one converter device and the atleast one text communications server to the at least one secondcommunications terminal.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 A schematic illustration of one preferred embodiment of anarrangement according to the invention and of an exchange of informationaccording to the invention as illustrated by a preferred embodiment ofthe invented method;

FIG. 2 A sequence diagram as a schematic illustration of the exchange ofinformation according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 A sequence diagram as a schematic illustration of the exchange ofinformation according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 A sequence diagram as a schematic illustration of the exchange ofinformation according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

According to one preferred embodiment, the invention provides that thetransmission of status information between a speech communicationsserver and a text communications server takes place when the textcommunications server has signaled beforehand to the speechcommunications server that the transmission is to occur.

The term of communications terminal in connection with the presentinvention is understood to be any kind of communications device used bya communications subscriber to exchange, transmit or receive messagesfrom other communications subscribers, in particular speech messages,text messages or even other messages, such as for example, picture orvideo messages. For communication with other communications subscribers,the communications subscriber using the communications terminal willmake use of the features of at least one communications service, forexample, a telephone service, an e-mail service, a Short Message Serviceor other communications services.

A communications terminal set up for speech communication in thisrespect is understood to be any kind of communications terminal thatenables the user to communicate by means of natural, spoken speech, i.e.through the input of corresponding acoustic signals to a correspondingelectro-acoustic converter and subsequent conversion of these acousticsignals into electrical signals, preferably subsequent digitizing of theelectric signals and transmission of the preferably digitized electricsignals to another communications subscriber. Examples of suchcommunications terminals are telephone terminals, in particular fixednetwork telephones, mobile telephones, Internet telephones (Voice overIP) or other telephone terminals.

Some communications terminals set up for text communication in thisregard are understood to be any kind of communications terminal enablingits user to communicate with other communications subscribers throughthe exchange of text messages. Examples of such communications terminalsset up for text communication are personal computers or Notebooksequipped with e-mail-clients or other applications intended fortext-based communications, such as so-called Chat Clients, butadditionally also mobile telephones through which SMS messages can besent or received, and similar devices.

In this context, a speech communications server is understood to be anydevice which is set up for or suitable for processing or transmittal ofspeech messages which are exchanged or are to be transmitted betweencommunications terminals set up for speech communications. Examples ofsuch speech communications servers are, in particular, public or privatebranch exchanges or call processing systems, but also internet-capablenetwork components set up for speech communication, such as switches orrouters.

In this context, a text communications server is understood to be anydevice suitable for or set up for the transmission or routing of textmessages between communications terminals set up for text communication.Text communications servers are thus in particular the so-calledSMTP-servers or other e-mail servers based on different protocols, orsimilar apparatuses which are set up for the transmittal, reception,sending or routing of text messages.

In this context, a converter device is understood to be a networkcomponent or a constituent of a network component in the transmission ofmessages between a speech communications server and a textcommunications server that incorporates the protocols and standards usedin the respective servers for the transmission and performs a conversionindependently of the direction of transmission of the message, so thatmessage transmittal is enabled between network components and terminalsof the two types of communications. Converter devices of this kind arealready quite well-known to a person skilled in the art and are alsoknown as gateways.

In accordance with one preferred embodiment, the invention provides thatthe transmission of status information between a speech communicationsserver and a text communications server takes place to the extentspecified by a previous signaling. Preferably a transmission of statusinformation takes place in conjunction with and/or according to aprevious signaling, wherein in the case of a change in status of acommunications terminal of the speech communications server set up forspeech communications, through which this communications terminalcommunicates with other terminals, the change in status is signaled by atext communications server which is capable of exchanging statusinformation with the speech communications server over a converterdevice.

Then preferably only that status information is transmitted which issuitable and/or necessary to indicate to the text communications serverthe change in status of the communications terminal set up for speechcommunication, so that the text communications server is in a positionto inform the connected communications terminal, set up for textcommunication, of the change in status.

According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, at least onetransmitted status information item contains at least one presenceinformation item. In this context, the presence information item isunderstood to be an information item which provides information aboutthe possibility and/or readiness of a potential communication partner toenter into and participate in communication, in particular in speechcommunication. The client of a communications subscriber, that is,preferably software running on the communications subscriber'scommunications terminal, transmits the presence status preferably to apresence server that administers and potentially processes the presencestatus, that is, the presence information.

The client of a communications subscriber thus determines whether and ifnecessary, in what manner, the presence status is publicized in order toinform other communications subscribers of the current communicationsstatus of this user. Due to this kind of status publication, othercommunication subscribers, who are communicating or intend tocommunicate with the particular communication subscriber, will beinformed about his availability and readiness to communicate. Examplesof possible values for the presence status in a text-based communicationsystem are information such as “available for chat,” “present,”“absent,” “busy,” “please do not disturb.”

Other preferred embodiments of the invention provide that at least onetext communications server transmits messages without being prompted. Inthis so-called push mode, messages are not checked by a client via aquery to the server, but rather the client is always ready to receiveand the server transmits messages according to the situation, preferablywith no delay after their arrival.

According to the present invention, in addition an arrangement isprovided for automatic transmission of status information from at leastone first communications terminal set up for voice communication, to atleast one second communications terminal set up for text communication,with at least one speech communications server for processing of thespeech communication between communications terminals and at least onetext communications server for processing of text communication betweencommunications terminals. In this regard, at least one converter deviceis provided through which the at least one speech communications serverand the at least one text communications server exchange messages. Thestatus information is transmitted from the at least one firstcommunications terminal over the at least one speech communicationsserver, the at least one converter device and the at least one textcommunications server, to the at least one second communicationsterminal.

According to one preferred embodiment, the invention provides that thearrangement is set up such that the transmission of status informationbetween a speech communications server and a text communications servertakes place when the text communications server has first signaled tothe speech communications server that the transmission is to occur.

An additional advantage of the invention is that the arrangement is setup so that the transmission of status information between a speechcommunications server and a text communications server takes place tothe extent specified by a previous signaling. Particularly preferredembodiments of the invention are those in which at least one transmittedstatus information item contains at least one presence information item.

In accordance with an additional, preferred embodiment, the inventionprovides that at least one text communications server transmits messageswithout being prompted.

The invention will be explained in greater detail below based onpreferred exemplary embodiments and with reference to the figures.

Important examples of so-called Instant Messaging Systems, that is, oftext-based communication systems within the meaning of the presentinvention, are those client/server architectures based on the XMPPprotocol which typically run asynchronously to telephony communicationapplications. For example, the present invention enables the automatictransmission of an “on phone” (“telephoning”) status from a telephone toan XMPP-client.

In this case preferably the XMPP-client subscribes via an XMPP-server toa so-called CTI service (CTI=Computer Telephony Integration) with aspeech communications server, for example, with a private or publicbranch exchange (PBX), wherein this functionality is provided over aCall Control Gateway (CCGW), that is, a special form of a converterdevice. The CCGW herein is a link between the CTI of a PBX and theXMPP-server (text communications server). The CTI services enable theXMPP-client to monitor or to change the status of the associatedtelephone and for example, to pass this information to otherXMPP-clients by means of the XMPP presence stanza.

Due to the automatic transmission of the telephone status according tothe invention, the presence information of the user will always be keptto the current status. XMPP-client and telephone are synchronizedautomatically. Manual transmission of information is thus unnecessary.Due to the simplified presence administration according to theinvention, time savings and the associated cost savings are possible.

FIG. 1 presents one preferred exemplary embodiment of an arrangementaccording to the invention. In this example a speech communicationsserver SCS is connected with two terminals EGA and EGB set up for speechcommunication, and exchanges speech messages and status information 15,16 with these two communications terminals. For example, if the statusof the communications terminal EGA changes, then this communicationsterminal EGA transmits a corresponding status information item to thespeech communications server SCS, whereupon the latter transmits thestatus information or corresponding status change information 14 to theconverter device GW.

Thereupon, the converter device GW transmits corresponding statusinformation or status change information 13 to the text communicationsserver TCS with which the two text communications clients CLA and CLBare communicating 11, 12.

In this example, the text communications client CLA is used by thecommunications subscriber which also uses the speech communicationsterminal EGA. Accordingly, the text communications client CLB is used bythe communications subscriber which also uses the speech communicationsterminal EGB.

In this manner it is possible that the communications subscriber who isusing the text communications client CLB, is informed of a change instatus of the speech communications terminal EGA, without the user Ahaving to initiate a manual transmission of information to user B.

FIG. 2 shows a first example of information transmission according tothe invention in one preferred exemplary embodiment. In this example,the communications subscriber A initiates a CTI-supported call on hisXMPP-client CLA to communications subscriber B. With the start of thisaction, subscriber A sets his presence status to “telephoning.” In thisregard the XMPP-client CLA transmits status information 201, forexample, a CSTA-stanza “make call” to the XMPP-server TCS. Next, theXMPP-server TCS transmits corresponding status information 202, forexample, the corresponding CSTA-stanza “make call” to the converterdevice GW, in this example, the CCGW, a Call Control Gateway or protocolconverter.

The status information in this regard is transmitted preferably as aso-called CSTA-stanza, i.e. preferably as status information embedded inthe XMPP-protocol corresponding to the CSTA-protocol. The acronym CSTAhere stands for Computer Supported Telephony Application. Subsequently,the converter device GW transmits a corresponding information item 203,for example the CSTA-message “make call” to the speech communicationsserver SCS. This speech communications server is now informed thatsubscriber A would like to initiate a call to subscriber B. The speechcommunications terminal of subscriber A EGA then sends a message 204“set up/invite” to the speech communications terminal SCS. The lattertransmits a corresponding message “service initiated” to the converterdevice GW 205. Next, the converter device sends a correspondinginformation item 206 to the XMPP-server TCS and the latter passes thecorresponding information item 207, for example, a CSTA-stanza “serviceinitiated” to the XMPP-client CLA of subscriber A.

Then the XMPP-client CLA sends an information item 208, for example, apresence stanza “on phone” to the text communications server TCS,whereupon the latter sends corresponding information 209, namely thepresence stanza “on phone” to the text communications client CLB. Inaddition, the speech communications server SCS sends an information item210 (“set up/invite”) to the speech communications terminal EGB ofsubscriber B.

The signals “set up” and/or “invite” here correspond to the usual ISDNand/or SIP signals “set up” and/or “invite,” respectively. The speechcommunications terminal EGB of subscriber B now sends a message 211“alert/180 ringing” to the speech communications server SCS, whereuponthe latter sends a message 212, for example, the CSTA message“delivered,” to the converter device GW, which passes a correspondingmessage 213, for example, the CSTA-stanza “delivered” to the XMPP-ServerTCS. The latter finally sends a message 214, for example, theCSTA-stanza “delivered” to the XMPP-client CLB of subscriber B.

Now the speech communications server SCS sends a message 215, “alert/180ringing,” to the speech communications terminal EGA and a message 216,CSTA “delivered” to the converter device GW. Subsequently, the converterdevice GW sends a message 217, for example, the CSTA-stanza “delivered”to the XMPP-server TCS, which finally transmits a corresponding message218 to the XMPP-client CLA of user A. The messages “alert” and/or“ringing” here again have the usual meanings according to the ISDN orSIP standard.

FIG. 3 shows a second example of information transmission according tothe invention in one preferred exemplary embodiment. In this example,the communications subscriber B, supported by his XMPP-client CLB,answers the CTI-supported call of communications subscriber A. And thusthe presence status of subscriber B is likewise set to “telephoning.” Inthis regard, the XMPP-client CLB transmits status information 301, forexample, a CSTA-stanza “answer call” to the XMPP-server TCS. Next, theXMPP-server TCS transmits corresponding status information 302, forexample, the corresponding CSTA-stanza “answer call” to the converterdevice GW, in this example, the CCGW, a Call Control Gateway or protocolconverter.

The status information in this regard is transmitted preferably as aso-called CSTA-stanza, i.e. preferably as status information embedded inthe XMPP-protocol corresponding to the CSTA-protocol. The acronym CSTAhere stands for Computer Supported Telephony Application.

Subsequently, the converter device GW transmits a correspondinginformation item 303, for example the CSTA-message “answer call” to thespeech communications server SCS. This speech communications server isnow informed that subscriber B would like to initiate a call tosubscriber A. The speech communications terminal of subscriber B EGBthen sends a message 304 “connect/200 OK” to the speech communicationsterminal SCS. The latter routes a corresponding CSTA-message“established” to the converter device GW 305. Next, the converter devicesends a corresponding information item 306 to the XMPP-server TCS andthe latter passes the corresponding information item 307, for example, aCSTA-stanza “established” to the XMPP-client CLB of subscriber B.

Then the XMPP-client CLB sends an information item 308, for example, apresence stanza “on phone” to the text communications server TCS,whereupon the latter sends corresponding information 309, namely thepresence stanza “on phone” to the text communications client CLA. Inaddition, the speech communications server SCS sends an information item310 (“connect/200 OK”) to the speech communications terminal EGA ofsubscriber A and a CSTA-message 311 (“established”) to the converterdevice GW, which subsequently transmits this CSTA-message 311 asCSTA-stanza 312 to the client CLA of subscriber A 313 over theXMPP-server TCS within the scope of the XMPP.

FIG. 4 shows a third example of information transmission according tothe invention in one preferred exemplary embodiment. In this example,the conversation established by means of the XMPP-client withCTI-support will cease and the presence status is again automaticallyset to available.

At the beginning of this action, the XMPP-client CLB of subscriber Bsends a signal “clear connection” to the speech communications serverSCS. In this regard the XMPP-client CLB transmits status information401, for example, a CSTA-stanza “clear connection” to the XMPP-serverTCS. Next, the XMPP-server TCS transmits corresponding statusinformation 402, for example, the corresponding CSTA-stanza “clearconnection” to the converter device GW, in this example, the CCGW, aCall Control Gateway or protocol converter.

The status information in this regard is transmitted preferably as aso-called CSTA-stanza, i.e. preferably as status information embedded inthe XMPP-protocol corresponding to the CSTA-protocol. Subsequently, theconverter device GW transmits a corresponding information item 403, forexample the CSTA-message “clear connection” to the speech communicationsserver SCS. This speech communications server is now informed thatsubscriber B would like to terminate a call to subscriber A. The speechcommunications terminal of subscriber A EGA then sends a message 404“disconnect/bye” to the speech communications terminal SCS. The latterpasses a corresponding message “connection cleared” to the converterdevice GW 405. Next, the converter device sends a correspondinginformation item 406 to the XMPP-server TCS and the latter passes thecorresponding information item 407, for example, a CSTA-stanza“connection cleared” to the XMPP-client CLA of subscriber A.

Then the XMPP-client CLA sends an information item 408, for example; apresence stanza to the text communications server TCS, whereupon thelatter sends corresponding information 409, namely the presence stanzato the text communications client CLB. In addition, the speechcommunications server SCS sends an information item 410(“disconnect/bye”) to the speech communications terminal EGB ofsubscriber B.

The signals “disconnect” or “bye” here correspond to the usual ISDN orSIP signals “disconnect” or “bye.” The speech communications server SCSadditionally sends a message 411 “connection cleared” to the converterdevice GW, whereupon this converter device GW sends a message 412, forexample, the CSTA-stanza “connection cleared” to the speechcommunications server SCS, which subsequently transmits a correspondingmessage 413, for example, the CSTA-stanza “connection cleared,” to theXMPP-client CLB of subscriber B. Finally, the latter sends a message414, for example, a presence stanza, to the XMPP-Server TCS. Finally,the XMPP-server TCS sends a corresponding message 415 to the XMPP-clientCLA of user A.

I claim:
 1. A method for automatically transmitting at least one item ofstatus information of at least one first communication terminal arrangedfor speech communication to at least one second communication terminalarranged for text communication, in which the speech communicationbetween communication terminals is conveyed via at least one speechcommunication server and the text communication between communicationterminals is conveyed via at least one text communication server, themethod comprising: the at least one speech communication server and theat least one text communication server exchanging messages via at leastone conversion device; the at least one second communication terminalarranged for text communication subscribing to a Computer TelephonyIntegration (CTI) service in the at least one speech communicationserver; and transmitting the at least one item of the status informationof the at least one first communication terminal from the at least onefirst communication terminal to the at least one second communicationterminal along a transmission path via the at least one speechcommunication server, the at least one conversion device and the atleast one text communication server; wherein the at least one item ofstatus information contains at least one item of presence informationfor a user of the at least one first communication terminal; and whereinthe transmitting of the at least one item of status information of the aleast one first communication terminal from the at least one firstcommunication terminal to the at least one second communication terminalalong the transmission path via the at least one speech communicationserver, the at least one conversion device and the at least one textcommunication serve comprises: the a least one text communication servertransmitting the status information corresponding to a signal forclearing a speech communication connection between the at least onefirst communication terminal and the at least one second communicationterminal received from a second client associated with the at least onesecond communication terminal to the at least one conversion device; theat least one conversion device converting the status informationcorresponding to the signal for clearing the connection and send theconverted status information to the at least one speech communicationserver to identify a clearing of the connection between the at least onefirst communication terminal and the at least one second communicationterminal is requested by the at least one second communication terminal;the at least one first communication terminal a disconnect message tothe at least one speech communication server for clearance of theconnection between the at least one first communication terminal and theat least one second terminal; the at least one speech communicationserver sending a clearance message for identifying clearance of theconnection between the at least one communication terminal and at leastone second communication terminal to the at least one conversion device;the at least one conversion device converting the clearance message andsending the converted clearance message to the at least one textcommunication server; the at least one text communication server sendingmessage based on the converted clearance message to a first clientassociated with the at least one first communication terminal toidentify clearance of the connection; and the first client sendingpresence information to the at least one text communication server toidentify a change in presence status in response to receipt of themessage base on the converted clearance message received from the atleast one text communication server.
 2. The method of claim 1, whereinthe transmitting of the at least one item of status information occurssuch that the text communication server signals the speech communicationserver before the transmission of the at least one item of statusinformation takes place.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein thetransmitting of the at least one item status information occurs suchthat the at least one item of status information is exchanged betweenthe speech communication server and the text communication server to anextent which was been specified by prior signaling.
 4. The method ofclaim 3, wherein the at least ono item of status information is based ona Computer-Supported Telecommunications Applications (CSTA)-stanzarelating to (i) an ongoing voice communication or (ii) an ongoing voicecommunication attempt.
 5. The method of claim 3, wherein the textcommunication server is configured to transmit t messages withoutrequest.
 6. A communication system fix automatically transmitting anitem of status information, the communication system comprising: atleast one first communication terminal arranged for speechcommunication; at least one second communication terminal arranged fortext communication, at least one speech communication server forconveying speech communication between the first and secondcommunication terminals; at least one text communication server forconveying text communication between the first and second communicationterminals, at least one conversion device configured such that messagesare exchangeable between the at least one speech communication serverand the at least one text communication server, the at least oneconversion device configured such that a Computer Telephony Integration(CTI) service of the at least one speech communication server issubscribeable to the at least one second communication device; the atleast one conversion device configured such that status information istransmittable from the at least one first communication terminal to theat least one second communication terminal along a transmission path theat least one speech communication server, the at least one conversiondevice and the at least one text communication server; wherein thestatus information comprises at least one item of presence informationfor a user of the at least one first communication terminal; the atleast one text communication server configured to transmit statusinformation corresponding to a signal for clearing a speechcommunication connection between the at least one first communicationterminal and the at least one second communication terminal receivedfrom a second client associated with the at least one secondcommunication terminal to the at least one conversion device; the atleast one conversion device configured to convert the status informationcorresponding to the signal for the connection and send the convertedstatus information to the at least one speech communication server toidentify a clearing of the connection between the at least one firstcommunication terminal and the at least one second communicationterminal is requested by at least one second communication terminal; theat least one first communication terminal configured to send adisconnect message to the at least one speech communication server forclearance of the connection between the at least one first communicationterminal and the at least one second communication terminal; the atleast one speech communication server configured to send a clearancemessage for identifying clearance of the connection between the at leastone first communication terminal and at least one second communicationterminal to the at least one conversion device:, the at least conversiondevice configured to convert the clearance message and send theconverted clearance message to the at least one text communicationserver; the at least one text communication server configured to send amessage based on the converted clearance message to a first clientassociated with the at least one first communication terminal toidentify clearance of the connection; and the first client configured tosend presence information at least one text communication server toidentify a change in presence status in response to receipt of themessage based on the converted clearance message received from the atleast one text communication server.
 7. The communication system ofclaim 6, wherein the communication system is configured such thattransmission of items of status information between the at least onespeech communication server and the at least one text communicationserver takes place when the text communication server signals the speechcommunication server beforehand that the transmission should take place.8. The communication system of claim 6, wherein the transmission of theat least one item of status information occurs such that the at leastone item of status information is transmitted between the at least onespeech communication server and the at least one text communicationserver to an extent which has been specified by a previous signaling. 9.The communication system of claim 6, wherein the at least one item ofpresence information is based on a Computer-Supported TelecommunicationsApplications (CSTA)-stanza relating to (i) an ongoing voicecommunication or (ii) an ongoing voice communication attempt.
 10. Thecommunication system of claim 6, wherein the at least one textcommunication server is configured to transmit messages without request.11. A method for automatic transmission of status informationcomprising: processing speech communication between first and secondcommunications terminals over at least one speech communications server;processing text communication between the first and secondcommunications terminals over at least one text communications server,wherein the at least one speech communications server and the at leastone text communications server exchange messages over at least oneconverter device; and automatically transmitting status information fromat least one of the first communications terminal and a first clientassociated with the first communications terminal over the at least onespeech communications server, the at least one converter device and theat least one text communications server to at least one of the secondcommunications terminal and a second client associated with the secondcommunications terminal, the status information being transmitted toidentify a current presence state of a user of the first communicationsterminal based on a speech communications use of the firstcommunications terminal by that user; wherein the first client isconfigured to communicate with the text communication server and thesecond client is configured to communicate with the text communicationsserver for text communications; and wherein the transmitting of thestatus information from at least one of the first communication terminaland the first client over the at least one speech communications server,the at least one converter device and the at least one textcommunication server to at least one of the second communicationsterminal and the second client comprises; the first client transmittingfirst status information to text communication server to initiate a callbetween the first communications terminal and the second communicationsterminal; the text communications server transmitting second statusinformation corresponding to the first status information to theconverter device in response to receiving the first status information;the converter device converting the second status information andsending the converted second status information to the speechcommunications server; the first communications terminal sending a firstmessage to the speech communications server; the speech communicationsserver sending a second message to the converter device in response toreceiving the first message from the first communications terminal andreceipt of the converted second status information from the converterdevice; the converter device sending a third message to the textcommunications server in response to the second message; the textcommunications server sending a fourth message to the first client inresponse to the third message; the first client sending current presencestate information to the second client via the text communicationsserver in response to receipt of the fourth message, the currentpresence state information identifying a current presence state of theuser of the first communications terminal as being involved in a speechcommunication based on the fourth message identifying that user's use ofthe first communications terminal for a speech communication.
 12. Themethod of claim 11, wherein the transmission of status informationbetween one of the at least one speech communications servers and one ofthe at least one text communications servers takes place when the textcommunications server has first signaled to the speech communicationsserver that the transmission is to occur.
 13. The method of claim 12,wherein the transmission of status information between the speechcommunications server and the text communications server takes place tothe extent specified by a previous signaling.
 14. The method of claim11, wherein the at least one text communications server transmitsmessages without prompting.
 15. The method of claim 11, wherein thetransmitting of the status information from at least one of the firstcommunications terminal and the first client over the at least onespeech communications server, the at least one converter device and theat least one text communications server to at least one of the secondcommunications terminal and the second client also comprises: the speechcommunications server sending a fifth message to the secondcommunications terminal to establish a telephone call between the firstand second communications terminals in response to receiving the firstmessage from the first communications terminal; the secondcommunications terminal sending a sixth message to the speechcommunications server in response to the fifth message; the speechcommunications server sending a seventh message to the converter devicein response to the sixth message; the converter device sending an eighthmessage to the text communications server in response to the seventhmessage; the text communications server sending a ninth message to thesecond client in response to the eighth message.
 16. The method of claim11, wherein the presence state information is sent from the first clientto the second client automatically in response to an attempt to initiatea telephone call connection between the first and second communicationsterminals.
 17. The method of claim 11, wherein the transmitting of thestatus information from at least one of the first communicationsterminal and the first client over the at least one speechcommunications server, the at least one converter device and the atleast one text communications server to at least one of the secondcommunications terminal and the second client also comprises: the secondclient transmitting status information to the text communications serverrelating to answering a telephone call initiated via at least one of thefirst client and the first communications terminal; the textcommunications server transmitting a fifth message to the converterdevice in response to the status information from the second clientrelating to the answering of the telephone call; the converter deviceconverting information of the fifth message to form a sixth message andsending the sixth message to the speech communications server to informthe speech communications server of the status information relating tothe answering of a telephone call; the second communications terminalsending a seventh message to the speech communications terminal toanswer a call from the first communications terminal to connect thefirst and second communications terminals for a speech communication;the speech communications terminal sending an eighth message to theconverter device in response to the seventh message; the converterdevice converting information identifying a speech communicationconnection between the first and second communication terminals of theeighth message and sending that converted information to the textcommunications server in a ninth message; the text communications serversending information relating to the connection between the first andsecond communication terminals identified in the ninth message to thesecond client in a tenth message sent to the second client; and thesecond client sending presence information of a user of the secondcommunications terminal to the first client to identify a currentpresence state of the user of the second communications terminal to thefirst client via the text communications server, the current presencestate of the user of the second communications terminal identifying thatuser as being involved in a speech communication based on the tenthmessage.
 18. A method for automatic transmission of status informationcomprising: processing speech communication between first and secondcommunications terminals over at least one communications server;processing text communication between the first and secondcommunications terminals over at least one text communications server,wherein the at least one speech communications server and the at leasttext communications server exchange messages over at least one converterdevice; automatically transmitting status information from at least oneof the first communications terminal and a first client associated withthe first communications terminal over the at least one speechcommunications server, the at least one convert device and the at leastone text communications server to at least one of the secondcommunications terminal and a second client associated with the secondcommunications terminal, the status information being transmitted toidentify a current presence state of a user of the first communicationsterminal based on a speech communications use of the firstcommunications terminal by that user; the text communications servertransmitting status information corresponding to a signal for clearing aspeech communication connection between the first and secondcommunications terminals received from the second client to theconverter device; the converter device converting the status informationcorresponding to the signal for clearing the connection and sending theconverted status information to the speech communications server toidentify a clearing of the connection between the first and secondcommunications terminals is requested by the second communicationsterminal; the first communications terminal sending a disconnect messageto the speech communications server for clearance of the connectionbetween the first and second communications terminals; the speechcommunications server sending a clearance message for identifyingclearance of the connection between the first and second communicationsterminals to the converter device; the converter device converting theclearance message and sending the converted clearance message to thetext communications server; the text communications server sending amessage based on the converted clearance message to the first client toidentify clearance of the connection; and the first client sendingpresence information to the text communications server to identify achange in presence status in response to receipt of the message bused onthe converted clearance message received from the text communicationsserver.
 19. The method of claim 11, comprising: the secondcommunications terminal subscribing to a Computer Telephony Integration(CTI) service in the at least one speech communication server tofacilitate the automatic transmitting of the status information andwherein the status information is based on a Computer-SupportedTelecommunications Applications (CSTA)-stanza relating to (i) an ongoingvoice communication or (ii) an ongoing voice communication attempt.